Garment construction



Feb. 17, 1953 T. SHALDA I ,3

' GARMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 11, 1950 2 .$HEEISSHEET 2 Lou/5E FEM/w SHALDA,

- IN VEN TOR. Mae/v52, BEEHLE/Z, TVeeez. and HERZ/G, ArTo/ewEYs.

Patented Feb. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE GARMENT CONSTRUCTION Louise Tieman Shalda, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application September 11, 1950, Serial No. 184,146

3 Claims. 1

The invention relates to the construction of garments for children and adults, both male and female. The invention is chiefly concerned with the simplification of garment construction so that the garment can be made economically, so that it can be laundered and ironed conveniently and moreover so that it can be attractively designed and tailored.

The layout of patterns for the cutting of goods to be made into dresses, suits and under garments, is an art long practiced and has lon engaged the ingenuity of clothing manufacturers. More recent trends have tended somewhat to the standardization of patterns in the interest of simplified cuts. Even with this trend, however, substantially all garments require a great deal of hand sewing before the pieces defined by the pattern are brought together, first in what might be termed sub-assemblies, and finally into the completed garment. Moreover, even with the trend toward simplification the predominating theme in the construction of garments has been permanency in the stitching and forming of the garments so that once completed in a form designed to fit the wearer, no quick or convenient alteration can be made Without ripping and resewing seams. Because of the tendency toward styling and decoration, laundering and ironing of garments has remained considerable of a problem. of apparent little interest to the garment manufacturer is the fact that once the garment is sold the problem of laundering and ironing becomes entirely one for the customer.

Various trends in the pattern of modern living have impressed customers and housewives more and more with the fact that much time can be saved for other things where problems of washing and ironing dresses, trousers, blouses, under-things and other clothing are simplified and minimized.

Some attempts have been made to modify the character of materials by providing such material as nylon, to the end that garments made of such materials can be hand-washed and hung up to dry without the necessity of spending time in ironing. The tendency to minimize the housewifes effort and time involved in caring for clothing in reality applies as much to the garments of adults as to the more frequently soiled garments of children.

It is, therefore, among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved garment construction wherein a one-piece garment may be so constructed as to simulate a two-piece garment or a three-piece garment, as the case may be.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved garment construction whereby the pattern for a simulated one, two or threepiece garment may lie in a single continuous piece of material which can be out while fiat as to all of its parts and thereafter folded and provided with fastening means to the end that it can be folded and fastened to fit the wearer and. thereafter unfastened and unfolded so as to be readily laundered and ultimately ironed as a single flat piece.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved garment construction equally Well adapted to garments for children and adults of either sex, wherein the pattern for the garment may provide for cutting all portions of the garment as a single piece and from a single strip of material, the surplus cutting providing trim and accessory elements, thereby minimizing wastage and scrap, and wherein the cutting may be such that permanent stitching is reduced to substantially a minimum and separable fastening means substituted for most of the stitching so that the separable fastening means can be unmade and remade at will, both for the purpose of adjusting the garment upon the wearer and for opening up the garment upon removal so that it can be conveniently and readily laundered or cleaned and ironed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

. Fig. 1 is a flat pattern layout for one form of the invention wherein the material is cut and ready for folding into the form of a simulated three-piece garment for; childrens wear.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the garment shown in Fig. 1, partially folded into a form ready for dress.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View depicting a girl dressed in the garment of Figures 1 and 2, showing the front View.

Fig. 4 is a somewhat similar perspective view showing the rear view of the girl dressed in the garment.

Fig. 5 is another form of the invention showing the garment cut from a single piece of material in a form adapted to simulate a two-piece mans garment adapted for sportswear, to which may loe added as accessory, quarter length sleeves and egs.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the garment of Fig. 5 initially folded prior to application to the wearer.

Fig. 7 shows the garment of Figure 6 adapted in size and styling for a simulated two-piece garment for a child.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the general arrangement of the garment of Fig. 6 to which quarter length sleeves and legs have been attached, the garment being styled and sized as a garment for a man.

In the figures above described and in the following description the scheme of the dress construction will be set forth directed to substantially simplify styling, while at the same time having in mind that the basic garment in some one or another of the modifications set forth may. be constructed of innumerable kinds of materials, including light cott ns or silks andalso materials of stiff texture, whether natural or synthetic, depending upon the particular garmentdesired; The basic garment, as shown and described,,is also sought tobe presented as one to which innumerable trimmings, lace and other conventionalaccessories may be added to suit the individual :taste, while at thesame time taking advantage ofa simplified. basic garment'construction.-

As shown in Figures 1.through 4, inclusive, there is suggested'a one-piece garment pattern which when finallyfolded and fastened in place simulates athree-piece garment consisting of a blouse, a skirt and under-pants. As there shown the garment is designed to be cut from a single strip ofcloth ID, the outline of which is shown by the dotted lines. The portion of the material cut may be said to comprise One end section II, another'endsection l2, and'an intermediate section l3. For the purpose of description the end section I I maybe considered as joined to the intermediate section l3 at an imaginary transverse edge l4, whereas the end section l2 may be consideredas joined'to the intermediate section at an imaginary transverse edge Hi. In this particular form of the invention the end section II' willbecome a skirt, the intermediate section I3 willbecome a blouse, and the end section l2 will become a pair of under pants.

For the skirt there is illustrated by way of 'example buttons l6 adapted to engage button holes [1 "in a manner such that therow of buttons and button holes lie vertically in the position the gar-v ment vvill'h'ave when worn.. Darts l8 and'l9of' somewhat conventional'design maybe provided to assist in fitting'th'e" g'armentin a desiredstyl' to the wearer. v

' The intermediatese'ction although continuous with the skirt section is individually cut so as to provide for the formation. of "a blouse; One cut extends inwardly from the right-hand side as shown in Fig. 1; and another*cut*2 l ex'te'n-ds'inwardly'from the opposite side and lies opposite" the cut 20. As here shown the cuts are somewhat V-shapedwith the points of'the Vs"spacedsub-.- stantially one from'another'. As suggested'in'Fig'ij 2 the V-shaped cuts provide for'the formation of the top of the shoulder on each side of the'blo'use. Adjacent to 'cut' 2flare edges 22' and23which' form what might be termed cuffs or hems on edges of the adjacent armhole; Similar edges and 25 appear on the'opposite side.

Intermediate the bottoms of the-Vs'or'cuts 20' and 21 is provided a'neck" aperture -'2 B-having a slit-'21" atone side to provide a "greater opening for the head when the garment is applied to "the" wearer'and which may, if desired, beprovided. with conventional closure" means such as buttons," snaps, a zipper, or similar fastening device; or on the other hand; left! open if "fastening means. are'not'desired;

The end section I2 is shown patternedso that when cut it can be formed into uhdefipants; and outer portion "of'whichis adapted to be folded" irrp'osition' opposite an innerportionfl I; the'por 4 tions being separated by a transverse fold line 32. For this end section V-shaped cuts form edges 33, 33', 34, 34, which are more pronounced and much more greatly divergent than the'cuts 20; 21. The edges thereof form' the edges or hems of leg openings 35 when the garment is folded in the position assumed for wearing.

engage button holes 31 located in the portion 30.

Buttons 38 on the opposite side of the underpants engage corresponding button holes 39.

When-the garment is to be placed upon the wearer the neck aperture 26 may be applied over the head, allowing the end section II to hang at the front,'and the end section 12 to hang atth'e rear. The portion 30-is then brought-between the legs of the wearer andthebuttons 36 and 33' connected to the appropriatebutton holes31$ This is suflicient to dress the end section I 2 uponthe wearer in the ,form of under-pants, afront waist band appearing at 40,'and arear waist band appearing at the imaginary transverse edge 15: When desired, of course, reinforcing maybe applied atthe location of the waist band. Such other individual reinforcing facing and stiffen-- ing may also be appliedin the initial fabrication of the garment, as is most appropriate:

When the under-pant have "been designed as suggested, the skirt which is formed of-the'endfi section H may be folded'around the "sidesof the wearer and buttoned at the back by closing the button holes l1 around the buttons 6:

The garmentwhen worn by the wearer is as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. As *there'shown; darts 4i and 42 have also been formed at the back; in order to gather the bottom of the" blouse-and the top ofthe skirt in the same fashionas the darts l8 and [9 of the front; It will be appreci-- ated, of course-that additional darts and-gathering may be providedas desired. Also a-belt-'43 may be applied at the dividing line between-' theskirt and the blouse; Inthe'interest of sim plicity the tops of -the-'shoulders maybe left open as ina playsuitsuchas that depicted inFigsr 3 and 4 where the foundation or basic *formof the garment has beenpreserved. If-=desired,- how-- ever, some form-of removable fasteningmeans may be 'installed -toclose the seam at' the top" of the shoulderstemporarily. '7

In. the initial forming of th'e -pattern -some=ac cepted practices should be taken into considera tion as; for-examplegprovidinga seam a11owance on all edges and'alsc allowing 1 "forhems at edges where hems would normally-occur;

Although the garment of Figure 3 is shown darted and gathered so. thatthe skirt is buttoned atthe rear, it will be appreciated that asa mat'-' ter' of preference the garment may -=be -reversedso that the skirt buttons'at' the-front. The buttoning of the under-pant may-follow sueh'- slmi-'--- lar changes as will suit different conditions-l ef" styling'and wear: A

In-a'second form of-tlre invention sel'ected to' illustrate how the basic pattern of construction maybe varied to accommodate itselftodiffrent styling and purposes; there is shown-in Figures 5; 6,"7"and'8 'a'pattern for a single piecesir'nu'lated two=p rt garment adapted equallywell to male or'female dress? Here again the garment is cut in a single piece of material shown by the dottedflines'inFig. 5: Asthere-illustrated one end" section 5| eventually; becomes -a shirt or blouse andanotherend' section 52 eventuallybe comes-a'pair f shortsor play pantsz= 7 To form the shirt or blouse, cuts 53 and54' respectively, are made on opposite sides of'thepattern layout for the garment, the cuts being made so that the bottoms thereof lie on opposite sides of a neck aperture 55 and spaced therefrom. The neck aperture may be provided with a slit 55 to enlarge it for application over the head of a wearer. The cuts 53 and 54 have side edges and 58 which, if desired, may include some closure means such as a row of snaps 59 on one side and complementary snaps 60 on the other. Lateral edges El and 62 form the edges of armholes. Darts 63 and 63' may be provided adjacent a transverse line 64 forming the bottom edge of the shirt or blouse on one side. Similar darts 65 and 66 on the opposite side may be provided to gather the bottom of the blouse and also, if need be, to gather the top of the short or play pants. Darts 61 and 63 are for a corresponding purpose and are located along a transverse edge 69 forming the waist band of the shorts or play pants on one side.

The shorts or play pants, as the case may be, identified herein by the reference character 1!], are formed by the provision of substantially deep shaping cuts H and 12 oppositely disposed and defining edges 13 and M which are the edges of leg holes. The bottoms of the cuts in this instance also are spaced from each other to leave material-for a crotch portion of the shorts or play pants. A cut-out portion or dart 16 may also be provided at this point, as illustrated in Fig. 5; for drawing the crotch together in order to give it a more shapely eifect when worn. Buttons H on each side are adapted to engage button holes 18 and which when buttoned form side seams 80 of the shorts or play pants.

In the simpler form to which this embodiment lends itself, and as illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7, the garment is adapted to be applied to the wearer by first lowering the garment so that the head of the wearer emerges through the neck aperture 55 and in this particular instance the front of the garment is the portion which remains intact and continuous between the shirt or blouse and the shorts or play pants. The endmost portion indicated by the reference character 8| is then carried back between the legs and brought up at the rear where button holes 82 may be adapted to engage buttons 83 at the lower edge of the shirt or blouse. The waist portion of the garment may then be drawn in by application of a belt 84, a suggested in Fig. '7. Additional shaping cuts 85 are suggested as a means of lending some styling and shaping to the portions of the blouse beneath the arms.

This basic pattern may be somewhat enlarged by applying quarter-length leeves 86 to the armholes, these quarter-length sleeves being folded around the arm and adapted to be joined by some releasable fastening means 81 which may comprise buttons, snaps or comparable device. The quarter-length sleeves are designed to be titched to the edges GI, 62 of the armholes, forming seams 81.

In a similar fashion quarter-length legs 83 may be applied to the edges 13, 14 by stitching, forming seams 89. The quarter-length legs when applied in thi fashion need also have provided some releasable closure device such as buttons 90 applicable to suitable button holes. This form of the basic construction having the added quarter-length legs and sleeves as described may be adjusted to the wearer depicted in Fig. 8 in the same manner as depicted in Fig. 7, there being provided for added effect a belt 9| at the waistgaging buttons on the opposite edgeof the. slit. These accessories are suggested by way of,

example, having in mind similar additions and accessories which can be readily applied to different portions of the garment as taste may dictate.

Regardless of the particular form the basic pattern of the construction may take, itis designed to be removed from the wearer by release of the fastening means so that the garment when removed may be stretched out flat, as suggested in Figs. 1 and 5. In the case of the added quarter-length sleeves and quarter-legs as suggested in Fig. 8, the garment when spread out will not be completely flat but such slight gathers or unevenness will be only modest so that such slight variations from the fiat effect will .beof no material consequence either in laundering or dry cleaning, as the case may be, and subsequent ironing. I

Garments constructed in the manner herein described, being substantially fiat in form when opened for laundering and ironing may readily be ironed by mechanical ironing devices, as for example, ironing machines, i without it being necessary to manipulate a hand iron into corners to produce a neat-appearing effect. Formed in this manner the garment may be quickly and easily cleaned with all parts readily reached by the washing medium. Less wear should therefore be experienced during successive laundering or cleaning operations and subsequent ironings. The time saved in cleaning and ironing will be readily apparent to those accustomed to the care of such garments.

Although the construction has been illustrated herein chiefly for conventional dress, it will readily be appreciated that the same basic construction may be highly advantageous for such use as uniforms in the various trades or elsewhere wherever a uniform type of dress is especially advantageous, both from the point of view of wearability as Well as the care and maintenance of the clothes.

Having described my invention, what I claim ast new and desire to secure by Letters Paten is:

1. A single-element separable garment construction comprising an initially flat piece of garment material having two end sections and an intermediate section joined to the respective end sections, one of said end sections comprising underpants and having opposite cuts extending inwardly from opposite lateral edges forming edges of leg openings therein, complementary fastening means along lateral edges of said first identified end section comprising closures for outside edges of leg portions of said underpants, the other end section being continuous from one lateral edge to the other and comprising an exterior garment adapted to overlie said underpants, complementary fastening means on said last-identified lateral edges comprising a closure for said exterior garment, said intermediate section being joined to the end sections at transverse edges, said intermediate section comprising a separate exterior portion of the garment and having shouldos: portions intermediate. transverse edge thereof, and said intermediate section havingta havin'g, opposite cuts extending inwardly from! opposite lateral;v edges forming edges of leg. openings"; complementary fastening means along lateral; edges of said first: identified end section comprisingv closures-for outside edges of thele portions, the: other end section being continuousfromronedateral edgeito the :other andcomprising aaskirt, t complementary fastening means on said last-identified. lateral edges comprising a;- closureior said skirt, said intermediate sectionlbeing joined to and continuous with. the and sections atetransversei edges, said intermediatersectiom having" opposite cuts extending in: wardly from opp'ositelateral edgesv forming edges ob shouldenportions and armhole: edges: adjacent saidashoulder portions, theedges of said shoulderr'portionsj having? complementary fastening means thereon having a junction at a seam at the'rshoulden.andssaidiintermediate section hava neck aperturea intermediate: the. opposite OI'IliSiifliBl-Yifli '3. l A singleeelementthrees-piece; separable and reversible garment construction comprising an initiallyifflatilengtlnof garment; materialiliaying 8', onerend section adapted to form a wrap .-around skirt-.iasteningmeans at longitudinal and edges comprising a junctionfor endsiof theskirt'in direct or reverse position, an intermediate section comprising an exterior blouse permanently. joined along. one lateral edge to an adjacent lateral. edge of the skirt, shoulder portions for the b1ouse and means. for joining sides of the blouseiin-either direct or reverse position, said blouse having a neck opening intermediate the shoulder portions, and another end section permanently; joined along. one lateral edge to an adjacent lateral edge of the intermediate section and comprising a pair of underpants, said last identifiediend section having oppositely disposed inwardly directed cuts comprising leg. openings and complementary fastening means alongoutside vertical edges of said underpants comprising outside edgesof said underpants.

LQUISE TIEMAN SHALDAH REFERENCES CITED The: followingtreferences are of record in the file of this i patent:

UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Number Name Date 593,175 Heyman Nov. 2,1897 1,475,892 Sohn Nov. 27,1923. 1,797,604 Burgdorfer Mar. 24, 1931 2,412,502 Garrison Dec..l0, 1946 $439,128 De Oliensis Apr. 6,.1948 

